


The Patronus Curse

by Madzie2000



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Explicit Language, F/M, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-26
Updated: 2016-05-01
Packaged: 2018-06-04 15:31:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6664252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madzie2000/pseuds/Madzie2000
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the Great Wizarding War, Draco Malfoy reveals a secret that has been destroying his private life ever since Lord Voldemort died; a secret that he has only told to Professor McGonagall and the now-deceased Professor Snape. Will Hermione be able to help her worst enemy overcome this devious curse put upon him by the Dark Lord or will she also fall victim to the Patronus Curse?</p><p>(I apologise, but I will not follow the castle layout as seen in the movies: you’re going to need to use that incredible imagination of yours). In saying this, the stairwell (where the stairs shift from platform to platform) and the Room of Requirement will remain the same as they were in the <br/>Half Blood Prince.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I Put A Spell On You

Hermione was standing before a large mirror, brushing her hair. It was a great honour to be Head Girl and the position had to be treated with as much respect as her appearance. In truth, she wanted to make a good first impression on the Head Boy, whether they got along or not. She had secretly been hoping for one of the boys that were already taken, like Neville Longbottom, who had begun to date Luna Lovegood. _They make such a cute couple with their similar personalities: now the other Houses are laughing with them instead of at them._ Hermione stopped brushing her hair, glanced around the room using the mirror and mapped everything out in her head, moving the brush through her hair again. To her right was a single shower that she would share with the Head Boy, taking comfort in the fact that the baths were only next to one another.

 

They may have once been a large tub, but a wall had been placed through the middle to give each person a sense of privacy. In reality, all they had to do was look over, because the wall was only as high as the baths edges. On the side of each bath was a large tile, the left having HB and the right having HG printed in gold. On the corners of these large tiles were four smaller ones, the Head Girl tiles decorating themselves with Griffins that flew along the walls.

To her right was a boring shower with thick frosted glass, but... something brushed the edges of Hermione’s shoes and she squealed, a feeling of anger and relief flooding over her at the same time. A wriggly green line made its way up the side of the Head Boy’s tile. She would be sharing a room with a boy from Slytherin. In her mind, Hermione made a plan, tying her hair up in a ponytail as she pondered over the situation.

 

 _If it’s Goyle, then I'll use patience and kindness to win him over and show the Gryffindor's that we can befriend the Slytherin House... in time._ Hermione left the bathroom and looked directly at the door to the bedroom, still confused as to why they made Head Boy and Girl share a room. Then again, they never allowed 2 people from the same House to be in together, so it was probably because they would hate each other too much to interfere in one another’s lives. Besides, after the war everybody saw the real enemy: the Dark Lord and his ever-devoted followers, now so few in number. Two tapestries few out of the air and fastened themselves to the top of the wall either side of the door. The one of the left, like the tiles in the bathroom, was green and had the Slytherin House mascot in the centre.

 

To the right of the door was the Gryffindor tapestry. They both suddenly looked across at one another and began crashing into one another with a ridiculously loud slap and then a flutter as they recuperated and tried again. The door opened and the Slytherin boy was there, but the tapestries were too busy fighting.

“If you two don’t behave I’ll burn you to ash.” Hermione’s tone impressed the boy, but she couldn’t see his smug smile. The tapestries looked at Hermione and then to the boy on the other side of them, waiting to see if he would back her up. He leaned in and whispered something to them that she couldn’t hear a word of.

“That witch knows her spells better than any of the Professors do, so I’d stop before she burns all three of us, not just me.”

 

The two tapestries looked at one another, shook tassels and moved out of his way. Hermione’s heart dropped into her feet. There stood Draco Malfoy in all his glory; platinum blonde hair, pale skin, green eyes and a face that had brought her nothing but misery.

“Malfoy?” Taken aback a little, Draco hid it and gave a curt smile.

“Why are you here? Did the Ministry of Magic lose their heads?” Hermione gave him a look of anger and confusion, the latter becoming more prominent by the second.

“I was sent a letter by Professor McGonagall saying that my last year at Hogwarts would be spent as Head Girl alongside someone from an opposing House. And you?”

“I’m very much the same, except she spoke about proving my worth in Wizarding society by being Head Boy and helping the Head Girl bring the four houses together.”

 

The pair had calmed down and Draco took the opportunity to put his bag down on his bed, beginning to unpack while Hermione sat facing away from him on her own. He stopped and glanced at her for a moment, realising that her gaze was concentrated on the floor, likely to be watching mould grow in a corner.

“I need to apologise Hermione.” Hermione’s eyes left the floor and found themselves lost in the cream of the wall before her. Her eyes were welling up and he felt guilty already. Though he hadn't seen the tears, he could see that she wasn't happy and her voice gave it away.

“What for?”

Draco walked straight across the room to Hermione and sat down behind her, a hand coming to rest on her shoulder.

 

The pleading tone in his voice had her bewitched.

“Everything, Hermione! All the taunts when we were kids, those God-awful stares I threw in your direction when we were teenagers... and most of all I regret not stopping Bellatrix when she carved that word into your arm. Everything I did to hurt you and the others: that’s what I need to apologise for.” Draco pulled a little on Hermione’s shoulder and she turned, revealing the tears she barely kept at bay over the past 7 years. In one graceful movement, Draco slid his legs over the bed sheets and found himself beside her, hip to hip. He gave her a charming smile and she attempted to return it. Unable to cope with seeing her cry he closed her arms between them as his hands and arms pressed her toward him.

 

Without thinking, he inhaled the scent of her hair, her clothing, her body... the hunt had begun. Draco swallowed hard and held onto Hermione for as long as his unease would allow. She pushed back on him and looked at her face as a blush warmed his cheeks. She noticed it and smiled, her tears having subsided for the moment.

“Well... I forgive you. There’s no need to be shy.” Draco quickly thought of a viable excuse, though it seemed a little cheesy.

“Sorry, I’ve been sick for a few days. If you want I’ll go sleep in the Slytherin Dormitories until I’m –”

“– No, you have to stay here. If the other students come back sick because you’ve been in there the professors will come down on us harder than a meteor shower.”

 

Draco felt as though all of the blood in his body was burning and his companion was beginning to notice. Forgetting the bounds of personal space, Hermione put a hand to his forehead and felt him burning up. Her smile returned to keep him calm. _Never let a sick person know how sick they truly are – Madame Pomfrey was always right back then, so how could she be wrong now?_

“I’ll go have a cold shower and see if that does anything for me.” Draco went in with a change of clothes and came out a few minutes later looking somewhat better, but was acting a little strangely. He had towelled off his hair and combed it back in place, but some of it was still sticking up. He was a hair gel freak and hadn’t taken it in with him, making her a little suspicious. She found this out from Ginny who had seen him get in trouble during Herbology for sneaking it in and letting a plant use it to catch insects (and girls with particularly long hair) for his own amusement.

 

Now he was sluggish, but she pinned it down to drowsiness from his fever. She turned around and scurried to the bathroom, an arm stopping her like a boom gate.

“The door locks from the inside, so if you fall and hurt yourself I will literally have to break the door down.” Hermione laughed and walked into the bathroom, completely unaware of the guilt, shame and anguish that Draco had rushing through his mind. He wanted to stop the thoughts, but they had already set in. In only a few minutes, the gorgeous Gryffindor emerged from the bathroom in her own pyjamas, smelling nothing like herself. Instead, she smelt like the soap that had been left in there for the Head Boy and Girl to use, both being exactly the same. Draco silently thanked God for it, though he knew he would never be the religious type.

 

Her scent alone could have driven him mad and now it was gone. Any longer and he would have been driven to insanity. Throwing a thin blanket around his shoulders, he sat in a corner and cast a Silence Charm over himself. In his weakened state the spell wouldn’t last long. Hermione couldn’t hear Draco crying out of anger, lust and frustration. The anger came from his thoughts of pushing her down against a bed, lusting after her body, with both of these frustrating him. He was at war with himself, but that was only half the truth. Draco dropped his head, his crying got a little louder and Hermione finally turned around. She could see the way he had moved into one corner, assuming that he was in pain. She walked over casually, leaning down a little to look at his face, concern written on her features.

    

“Draco? Draco is something wrong?” The charm finally wore off and his sobs had died down, his short temper getting the better of him. It was almost impossible to say what he needed to nicely.

“Stay back! Don’t come near me.” Ignoring Draco’s pleas, Hermione kneeled down next to him and let a hand rest on his knee. Draco was almost terrified of her and kept pushing it away.

“Draco please, I’m not hurting you.” He gave in and let her hand stay where it was, still shuddering a little from his fever. Feeling that there was nothing else better to do, Hermione gave him a hug and felt the heat radiate from his body. She pulled them apart and he practically threw himself back into the corner. _Maybe he’s having a mental breakdown, considering how brutal his father could be._

“Tell me what’s gotten into you and I’ll go.”

 

Draco pulled his head away from the corner and let Hermione see his face, his bloodshot eyes and flushed skin seemingly proving her theory true.

“It’s horrible. I can’t stop... why can’t I stop?!” Hermione’s welling tears faded away as she tried to piece together what Draco was telling her.

“Was it something **He** did?” Draco looked into her eyes and saw the kindness there that even his own father had denied him. _Women are always such a comfort..._

“I was always busy fooling around instead of doing what he asked of me.” Hermione was about to ask a question but he cut her off before she could get a single word out.

“You know what I mean: sleeping around different Houses and being a prude. He thought that there was only one solution and he changed it. Hermione, he changed my Patronus with the Elder Wand.”

 

The first ever fanfiction I read was about Dramione (Draco x Hermione) and I have wanted to write my own for a while, so here it is! (I’m going to hell whether I like it or not).


	2. How He Torments Me So

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco tells Hermione of the changes made by Lord Voldemort to his Patronus. A chase begins, but how will it end?

 Hermione’s mouth practically hit the floor.

“But Harry said that it belonged to him, so the wand wouldn’t work for him the way he wanted it to.” Draco sighed and shook his head.

“That wand is the most powerful known to the Wizarding World Hermione! He wanted me to suffer and he did it using something I love.” _I don’t understand it..._

“But why change your Patronus? How could that possibly make you suffer?”

“Because he tied me to it. A Patronus comes from the witch or wizard’s happiness and he assumed that mine was women - which is partially true - so now I suffer for it.” Hermione shook her head negatively.

“What do you mean?”

“You’ve read the Jungle Book, haven’t you?” She nodded.

“He made my happiness, my driving force, change completely. Instead of food, my Patronus controls what I do now. My Patronus became a tiger, but not just any tiger.” Draco knew it wouldn’t take long for the Gryffindor to guess, but mere seconds lead to the realisation that he had dramatically underestimated Hermione’s intelligence. _If she’s this smart our combined Wizarding knowledge may get me back my old Patronus and some semblance of a normal life._

“Your Patronus is Sheer Khan... but doesn’t that mean your hunting something, or someone?”

“Your right: I’m the Sheer Khan of Hogwarts. For a while I thought it was just a practical joke and I would change back but I...” Draco’s breathing fastened and Hermione grabbed his shoulders hard, but not hard enough to get him angry. He lost himself in her eyes for a moment and snapped out of it when she spoke up.

“Get it out now and save yourself the trouble later.” Draco nodded slowly and continued, much to his own personal agony.

“Sheer Khan hunted Mowgli down for as long as he could – mostly at night – until he got what he wanted. If I see, smell or get too close to an attractive woman I have to have her.” Hermione let his shoulders go and moved back a little, seeing the sadness and anger in his eyes. The anger was in his voice now, almost regretful. Soon she would find out why. The pause lasted for less than a minute, but the tension made it seem like a century.

“In every sense of the word. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary until one day I – I didn’t stop...”

Draco let a tear cascade down his cheek and pulled out his wand, placing the tip to his temple. He moved it away and a small, spiralling blue light was stuck to one end.

“It’s a memory. Put it in a vile and take it to Headmistress McGonagall.”

“Why do I need one of your memories?” Hermione retrieved two viles from her suitcase and handed the empty one to Draco so that he could put the memory inside. He became aggressive and it worried her.

“Don’t ask. Just go.”

“Fine, but if you need it, I have a vile here with your name on it. Inside is a sleeping draught.”

“Why do I need this?”

“Why do you think? So you can sleep easy.” Draco took the draught and gave back the vile containing his memory. The moment Hermione closed the door behind her Draco heard glass smash against the ground. _It’s not that easy! I still have the hard copy in my mind. Need you away from me, for your own sake._ Hermione came back in and Draco was as furious at her as he was himself, finally standing on his shaky legs. _He’s not coping well._

“YOU’RE SO STUPID HERMIONE! You know what’s happening and thought it went away: it will **never** go away. I can’t stop once I’m onto someone’s scent. The moment the sun goes down, I hunt the girl. When I hugged you earlier my Patronus chose you as my next victim.” By the time Draco had finished his sentence, the tears had dried up and he was getting flustered. He could see the sunset and Hermione had grown to be almost as pale as the tiles in the bathroom, a sudden sickness spreading through her body and threatening to make her bring up her dinner. _He raped them; he rapes a girl and goes to someone else all because of **Him**. Now he’s telling me to stay back for my own safety having tormented me year after year._

“What should I do now that I know?” Draco forced his head to look down, hoping it would cause the transformation in his mind to slow down.

“Run to one of the House Common Rooms, but not Slytherin. They don’t change the passwords to the Common Rooms until new students are about to arrive. Tell them it’s an emergency and they should let you in.” Hermione stared at him for a moment, not realising that he was seriously asking her to run down the halls in her pyjamas. He groaned and put a hand over his left temple, covering up one eye. Taking control of the mind was no easy or painless task.

“For God’s sake Hermione run!” In what seemed to be an instant, she was outside of the room and running down the empty corridors, wishing one of the professors was around to help her. As she opened a door to the ever-changing staircases, she saw him behind her at the end of the hall in full uniform. _That can’t be right – he was in a tank top and shorts not 5 seconds ago!!_ Suddenly it clicked: his Patronus was never kind; only mean and cruel. He had only ever been that to her when he wore that uniform.

 _This curse takes every piece of information about me into account and uses it against me._ Intent on not being caught, Hermione slammed the door and caught the attention of the paintings on the wall.

“Show me the quickest way to the Room of Requirement!” Outside in the hallway, Draco heard her plan and grinned. _What am I supposed to do now? Oh yes, let her think she’s won._ Hermione watched the paintings point to a door on her right about 5 metres in the air. A staircase was moving particularly low and had begun to rise up as it swung around. Draco burst through the door and she clenched her hands around the side of the marble rail. Draco slashed out at Hermione and made contact with the back of her leg, blood and a sharp squeal escaping into the stairwell. What Hermione saw when she got over the handrail was far more disturbing than the blood dripping down her calves. Draco had blood on his fingers and he stared her in the eyes, licking it away from his pale skin. Hermione was about to vomit when the stairs she stood at the top of connected directly to the platform she – and now Draco – had been standing on. Hermione threw the door open and slammed it behind her. Powering her way through a few more hallways, the hapless girl finally came to the large empty wall where the Room of Requirement's door was supposed to be. Speaking to the wall, Hermione begged it to let her in before Draco could catch up with her. Suddenly the wooden door pushed its way through the stone and opened up. The sound of footsteps approaching made her turn before it had fully opened, her back facing the room. It would have repaired itself from the fire, so there was no need to look out for anything behind her. Hermione walked backwards into the Room of Requirement and stepped on something that felt like a shoe. Slowly, she turned and found Draco Malfoy’s green eyes staring into her very soul, tormenting her. Draco grabbed Hermione’s left arm before she could run and stepped toward her, one hand sliding around her back like a fleshy snake.

“Hello Hermione.” The Gryffindor’s body went rigid, causing her to fall forward into unconsciousness and Draco’s wiry arms.

“No need to fall head over heels Granger.” Draco stayed up the entire night, waiting for his victim to wake up and let him be rid of the lust running through his veins. At 1 o’clock his mind became his own again and he solemnly carried her to the stairwell. A candle floated in from the direction of the Great Hall and tapped him on the shoulder, a little of the wax sticking to his top. He gently placed Hermione on the ground and two maids wearing white aprons, bonnets and black dresses materialised in front of him. The spoke in perfect unison and had warm smiles on their faces.

“Would you like some help?” Draco smiled weakly and accepted their generous offer. One took Hermione while the other kept an eye on him, lifting the Slytherin up when he dropped to the floor. At the Head Boy and Head Girl Dormitory the maids dressed Hermione’s wounds and put the thick bed sheets over her.

“Thank you ladies.” The maids curtsied and bowed their heads in respect. They knew what was happening and had done it many times before, hoping that they would never have to do it again. As always, their hoping and wishing seem in vain.

“Good day to you sir.” The maids flew through the walls and left Draco to his own dark thoughts. Remembering the sleeping draught, Draco downed half the vile and gave the rest to Hermione, knowing she needed to rest after her dreadful night. In his mind Draco was at war with himself: he didn’t want to hurt Hermione, but the Patronus Curse left him no choice but to chase her until he got what he wanted. Luckily for Hermione, she had to be awake. In the recesses of his heart, Draco found a small glimmer of hope. If she could run faster than he could, she would make it through the next two weeks. Sleep took over his body and he dreamt of Hermione; she was smiling at him because he had gained control of himself and the Patronus’ effects on his body. He would fight it... for her. Only then could he tell Hermione what they both needed to hear.

 

I’m such a crazy person: I saw that my newest (and most contemplated) fic had over 20 hits after I put it up less than 5 hours ago. Of all things I was listening to “Happy Ending” from the Pirate Movie... gotta love coincidences.


	3. The Tides Have Turned Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione wakes up and discusses Draco's Patronus Curse, finally coming up with a plan. However, having told Draco a secret of her own, he becomes  
> anxious and this fuels his hunt for her during the night. Will Hermione go through with the plan, will it work or will Draco get to her first?

Hermione woke up with a start. The events of the night were flashing through her mind: Draco chasing her, the way he lapped her blood from his fingers, his surprise attack in the Room of Requirement… Suddenly overcome with fear, Hermione shoved her hands into the second drawer of the bedside dresser next to the bedhead and retrieved her wand, finding it heavier than she remembered.

“Lumos.” The end of the wand emitted a soft white glow, her eyes adjusting to the darkness she had been thrust into, noticing the closed curtains over the windows. On the bed opposite her Draco was sitting with his feet on a wooden chest and its cold metal fastenings that held it together. He wasn’t staring lustfully or as if he wanted her; in fact, he seemed almost repulsed by the sight of her.  

“Nothing happened. The Sheer Khan is a sportive hunter and enjoys a chase before the kill; if you fall asleep or you’re in front of me it’s no fun, so the Patronus waits for you to run or wake up and run. If I had any say in it this would have stopped as soon as it started.”

 

Draco became flustered and opened the curtains, letting her see the sun and the light of day.

“The sun will be setting in an hour. You know what happens when it disappears so I’d put on some running shoes.” He was beginning to crumble, both physically and mentally, his face beginning to look thinner than usual, as well as his other limbs. His mentality had become dominant, rather than that of his normal prudish self. _It’s so pitiful a sight: that proud git used to stand up tall to all who opposed him and now a single change of the wind could blow him over._

“When did you last eat?” Draco didn’t look up.

“Yesterday morning...” He allowed himself a grin.

“… I was so excited to come back and make something of myself and then this happens again. It’s as bad as becoming a Death Eater.” Hermione had practically forgotten about Draco and his previous life as a villain. He had done so much since the war to prove himself to be a good person and suddenly he has been forced to stay in that role for a little longer.

 

“Let’s try and think for a moment Draco. With our brainpower combined we should have this solved in a couple of days and –” Draco cut her off, eager to stop her positivity before it ended abruptly in the middle of the night with his writhing on top of her small frame.

“But it can’t be that simple. You’re such an optimist I might be sick.” _It’s not him Hermione, his emotions are muddled about because of his curse – no spell._ Draco’s skin was no longer pale, but had grown to grey rather than white. Hermione found herself wondering if he could die from this, the answer undoubtedly a yes.

“How long have you been… searching for the girls as most without getting too sick?” Draco leant forward, suddenly feeling tired.

“Draco, it’s exhausting you. We need to find a solution before it goes all the way.”

Hermione got up and walked over to him, wand still in hand. With her smile reappearing, she sat next to him and put her hands over his, those once menacing green eyes staring straight into hers.

 

“Draco, I know you’re a smart man but you need to understand that I won’t run when I don’t have to. Right now we’re both safe from anything that could happen to us. Daylight will keep us safe at the night will haunt us until we figure out a way to stop it. Just stop and think if you can.” Draco practically threw his arms around Hermione and she tensed up a little. Draco felt it and loosened his arms a little, the gesture of affection being returned. He turned his head and his breath was on her ear, as cold as ice. She still forgot that Death Eaters were cold and hideous: she could never imagine Draco as one of those beasts, no matter how hard others tried to persuade her.

“Only if you answer my question honestly.” Hermione sighed. _Draco… you’re still pushy as ever._

“It isn’t the time to ask me questions when we have one to answer.” Draco pulled back and looked toward the sun, seeing the sky grow dark, its edges touching the horizon. _We only have another 45 minutes: she better listen to me because she needs a bloody good head start._ Draco pushed her away, becoming aggressive again.

“Are you mad? In half an hour you’ll be running form me and this question is far more important than anything I can think of. I should have asked you earlier when I had the chance to.” Judging by his obviously concerned expression, it was a question she had hoped he wouldn’t ask.

“If it’s about Ron then no, he wouldn’t forgive you if he found out you had hurt me.” A smile spread across Draco’s face at the thought of being killed by a Weasley, let alone the one he picked on and was envious of the most because he had such a caring partner.

“I wanted to ask you if you were a virgin or not. If I know it might help me stop before I do any real damage.” Hermione pulled her lips in under her teeth, the two this lines of pink flesh disappearing for a moment. They re-emerged and she looked into Draco’s eyes, hoping he wouldn’t be mad.

“Yes, but that shouldn’t change the way you act around me.” Draco couldn’t hold her gaze anymore: it was starting to make him heat up.

“How was Shere Khan defeated in the Jungle Book?”

 

Draco’s eyes remained on the chest his feet sat on, the cold metal making his toes ache. No answer. He edged away a little, as if he were an infant that didn’t want to admit they were at fault for destroying a precious heirloom.

“If I remember correctly, he was forced into a situation that left him no choice but to give in and leave Mowgli alone; other adaptations say he was killed.” Draco passed Hermione his wand.

“Keep it. I’ll be less of a threat without it.” Hermione huffed as Draco stood and moved away, staring at the sun. It was nowhere near half way, but his nerves were mounting and he needed her as far from him as possible.

“I need to tell you what happened last night and you need to listen.” Hermione kept a stern expression on her face, softening it when she felt it had become intimidating.

“I apparated into the Room of Requirement while I chased you down the hall. When you fainted, I watched you sleep until 1 o’clock.

 

“I carried you to the stairwell and two ghosts helped me bring you back here. That’s why you’re in different clothes and a bandage is wrapped around your leg.” Hermione’s brow furrowed and she realised that her leg had – as Draco said – been covered by bandages, the blood that had been trickling down staining the back of her leg. To her surprise and minor relief, there was a smear that ran from the right of her knee to the left of her ankle, where Draco’s fingers had swiped up some of the blood they’d spilt.

“You drank it. Your fingers left a trail.” Draco’s eyes darted to the bandaged leg and he remembered swiping the blood from his fingers with his tongue. He leaned on the wall behind him, sliding down it until his knees nearly hit him in the face. His arms lay flat across them, his hands hanging lifelessly from his wrists as his breathing became faster than usual.

“It’s getting worse, isn’t it Draco?” He said nothing as Hermione’s tone changed, almost happy at her new discovery.

 

“I think I know how to get rid of the Patronus.” Draco lifted his head and she could see his chest heaving, as if it were hard to breathe.

“What were you thinking of doing?” Hermione gulped quietly and her mouth went dry.

“I figure that if your Patronus is Shere Khan and he had been forced into retreating or leaving then perhaps I have to give it a taste of its own medicine. It sounds terrible, but I may even have to do it while your still…” Hermione couldn’t finish her sentence. The thought of forcing herself onto Draco was worse than it being switched around. She changed her approach to finish what needed to be said, despite feeling as though Draco wanted his wand back.

“It has to be against your will; otherwise it becomes another animal hunted down. The only difference would be that this animal was caught willingly.” Draco shook his head with anger clearly written on his face.

“I haven’t told you the worst part yet.”

 

The sun was now almost hidden by the hills and peaks of mountains surrounding Hogwarts, Draco and Hermione both becoming increasingly tense.

“When I’m around you, the Patronus feeds on the scent of you and the sexual energy I produce to keep me alive. It’s like I’m using you and I don’t want that.”

“But if I leave you alone as you asked me you might die of starvation: it’s either me giving up or you giving in. Only one person can make that choice Draco, but it’s not me.” Draco silently walked over to Hermione and took his wand back, her body almost frozen by his piercing glare. Draco grabbed Hermione’s hand and her wand hit the floor, the illumination focused on their legs and feet. It cast shadows over the Slytherin’s face and made him seem that more terrifying.

“We’re making an unbreakable vow: here and now.” Hermione moved her hand to Draco’s wrist and their hands twisted, her arm already feeling uncomfortable.

“And what would that be?”

 

Draco put his wand over their joined hands and looked into her eyes, his expression becoming frail and beckoning her to agree.

“Will you, Hermione Granger, promise to carry out your plan, regardless of my struggles and threats to your life while under the hold of my Patronus curse if and when you have the chance?” Hermione wanted to pull her hand away from his, but he held her fast.

“I do. And do you, Draco Malfoy, agree to remain with me for as long as humanly possible when you are not under the hold of the Patronus curse?”

“I do.” With the charm cast, Draco startled Hermione by way of his hands, pulling her toward him. He kissed her forehead and she closed her eyes, feeling the warmth of his body begin to rise.

“I have to go.” They both stood with one another for a minute longer in a loving embrace until Draco groaned.

“Go.” Hermione ran and heard his inhumane cries, the pain seeping into his head and talking over. Another hunt had begun… and this would be his best yet.    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A heads up for the Dramione (Draco x Hermione) shippers, I am considering writing another story, but instead it will be an AU in which Hermione does not choose to stay with Ron and becomes single. This will involve the popular story of forced marriage between single witches and wizards. (You're welcome!) 
> 
> I am begging you all to give comments, as I am unsure of whether people continue to read my fics because of the storyline, quality reading or just for the smut I have in some of them.


	4. The Tides Have Turned Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco has chased Hermione for the last time. She has what she needs and is ready to face him, but will she have the strength and courage to carry out what she knows is wrong?  
> Draco has been waging war against the Patronus Charm in his head and speaks to Hermione for a moment outside of his living hell, but can he stop himself before committing the deplorable act against someone he had just come to understand?

As a note to users, one of my fanfictions has been frozen in place and desperately needs somebody to kickstart it by answering a simple question.

The fic is called Youtube vs The Zombie Apocalypse and I would love to start writing more for it, so a suggestion as per the last chapter would be AMAZING!

Hermione was back in the Room of Requirement, waiting for Draco. _He won’t apparate again; he wouldn’t risk Filch catching him… where is that old grouch when you need him?_

 

– 2 hours ago –

 

As she ran from the room, Hermione snagged her perfume from a drawer and sprinted down the short hall, casting a spell.

“Avis.” Tiny blue birds flew out of Hermione’s wand and she sprayed perfume onto them, giving them a command that they followed meticulously.

“Fly that way and keep going, lead Draco away from the Room of Requirement.” Hermione heard Draco scream in agony and she felt a tear roll down her cheek as she ran in the opposite direction of her flying friends. _How could Professor McGonagall let this go on for so long?_ Draco emerged from the room, hearing footsteps and smelling that darling perfume Hermine liked to wear. He followed it through the Great Hall, their old Defence against the Dark Arts classroom and all through the castle. For two hours he chased down the scent that had fuelled him, but something was wrong.

 

He could hear chirping and knew that no owls made such a high-pitched call. He cast a spell down the hall and confirmed his suspicions.

“Arresto Momentum.” Just rounding the corner in slow motion was a flock of birds that only came from casting one spell.

“That bitch. Avada Kedavra.” The tiny birds suddenly fell to the ground, colder than a windowpane when it was snowing outside. Draco’s determination was to think of places he hadn’t been and check them off. He had been past the common rooms and dormitories, but he hadn’t thought of going **inside**. First trying Slytherin, he went in and searched every room, under every bed and in every chest and closet. Then he went to Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and finally Ravenclaw. His last chance was the only kind-hearted ghost, the daughter of Rowena Ravenclaw.

 

She never lied and hated Slytherin House: all he had to do was put on an act or truly repentant, but the Patronus would never allow the latter to come true. Helena was looking out to the courtyard, thinking of who Tom Riddle had once been and who he had been a year ago. Though she didn’t want to admit it, she had fallen for him and would wear these chains around her hands for as long as she saw fit.

“Helena, can I speak to you?” Helena knew exactly what had been happening but never heard the full story, turning on Malfoy and almost smacked him across his smug little face.

“How DARE you come up here to ask me where one of the girls are hiding! I will never tell you.” Draco stared long and hard at Helena, his mind finally stumbling upon a place he hadn’t thought to go yet.

 

“She’s in the Room of Requirement, isn’t she?” Helena was enraged, lowering her voice so that she appeared menacing. If the boy wanted to scare her, she would scare him first.

“If you hurt Hermione Granger I promise you will be set alight by the candle of every ghost in this castle. Do you understand me?” Draco was there in his own head, hearing the conversation. _How could I be so openly happy about knowing where she is? Now I’m going to apparate and ruin Hermione’s life._

 

– In the Present –

 

As Hermione had predicted, Draco apparated in the middle of the Room of Requirement, surrounded by stacks of chairs, tables, boxes and any other object imaginable that was of no use to the students. Hermione had begun to climb up the side of one large pile the moment Draco had apparated and he heard her feet scrambling, smelt her real scent, instead of the perfume and began climbing behind her. When he looked down, he remembered what he saw the last time he was in this room: his friends were racing to get away from the fire burning below them, the heat lapping at his calves. For a moment he snapped out of it and looked down in horror as someone fell into the flames, Hermione seeing the Slytherin frozen in place. Draco’s mind was suddenly focused on the girl above him, almost to the top. Hermione stopped where she was after finding a suitable foothold and moved around sideways.

 

Draco moved around and threw his arm out to grab her, but she wasn’t there. To his surprise, Hermione was sitting in a very unladylike position on her broom.

“I was one step ahead of you Malfoy.” Hermione aimed her wand at Draco and stared him down, her voice deepening like Helena’s.

“Get down or I’ll use this spell on you.” Hermione aimed her wand at a pile of junk in a corner and Draco nearly died of shock.

“Bombarda Maxima!” Seeing foam from old lounges fly into the air was all it took for the Patronus to leap and descend the pile with amazing speed, drawing in strength form Draco’s resolve to pin Hermione to a wall and scare her into leaving. _I’ll scare Hermione for **her**_. Draco watched the witch put her feet on the floor and immediately ran toward her.

 

Rather than run away, Hermione allowed herself to back into a corner, discarding the broom with a vigour that had both Draco and the beast controlling his mind confused. Draco pressed himself into Hermione felt her heart become cold, seeing the fear and pain in his eyes as the Patronus made his lips trail hungrily down her neck. With what strength she had, Hermione kicked Draco in his shins and for a moment he cried out in pain, giving her time to swap positions with him. Grabbing her wand, she sat it against his temples, hoping her idea would work before she even thought of using the original. _The courage isn’t there… but maybe this will help him ease out of it._

“Finite Incantatem.” Draco pressed himself into the wall, cradling his head. When her wand had been sitting, in its place was a black and blue patch of flesh.

“Stupid Mudblood. You could’ve killed me!”

 

 _It’s not him so don’t listen to him, and you can get through it._ Hermione chose another spell, certain that it would keep him there long enough for her other plan to start.

“Then you leave me no other choice Draco; Stupify.” Draco’s body froze and the Patronus was becoming aggressive, as much as he wanted it to stop and spare him the humiliation.

“You can’t hurt me but you keep going. You really are scared.” Hermione put a hand under his chin and gripped hard, but lightly enough that he could still breathe.

“Then I’m going to have my own fun.” Imagining Ron in Draco’s place, Hermione brought their lips together and kissed him tenderly, her hands moving around his hips and clasping themselves around his back like a seatbelt. Draco felt as if he was being mauled by a hungry animal, but he knew Hermione had to make him hate it.

 

One of her hands wandered to the front of his pants, the Patronus jolting back with Draco’s agreeance. In that moment, their thoughts coinciding, agreeing, Draco fell to the ground. Hermione moved back and fell to her knees, tears coursing down her cheeks. His body was convulsing on the floor, a bright light suddenly consuming it. His school robes had been replaced with the clothing he’d been wearing earlier, the weight on his face thinning out and his skin growing grey. Draco was at Death’s door and she knew it. Levitating his body, Hermione took him to Madame Pomfrey and said that he had been refusing to eat. The old woman knew it was a lie but chose to mind her own business. In a few hours, a very concerned Astoria Greengrass was by his side, her hand on his cheek.

“Thankyou for telling me Hermione. If he didn’t have you I don’t know what would have happened to him.” Hermione grinned and decided to tell her the most important part of Draco’s illness.

 

“Did he tell you about the Curse?” Astoria’s expression became sad and she nodded.

“It’s gotten worse, hasn’t it? Wait, did he do something to you?” Hermione shook her head.

“No, I got rid of it. And please, don’t thank me.” Astoria nodded again with a faint smile.

Madame Pomfrey had known of Draco’s secret love for Astoria. Draco avoided Daphne and her sister Astoria for fear that his attacking of the latter would lead to more inquisitions into his families activities. He gave Astoria a letter explaining his situation and she had originally sent one back saying that he was a monster, asking him to leave her alone. After re-reading it she sent him her phone number which the old nursemaid had seen sticking out of a pocket in his robes Hermione had seen folded up beside Draco’s body after he fainted. She had gone back to the Room of Requirement and brought them back when she’d put the broom back. Hermione left as Draco woke up, smiling up at Astoria when he realised that the curse was gone. He silently thanked Hermione, something she would never know. The whole time he’d been under the Patronus’ control it was Astoria that he had been getting through it for, but he knew a part of him somewhere did it for Hermione too.

 

– 2017 –

 

Hermione stood with her husband Ron, the ginger man staring at Draco. She had told him of everything that had happened and claimed that it meant nothing, but he still warned their children against being near the Malfoy’s.

“The Malfoy’s are a bit odd, so watch out for them okay?” The children nodded and Draco took the opportunity to wave at Hermione. She smiled back as Scorpius got onto the train.

_You did that Hermione; you brought that family together with a kiss, just like all the fairytales._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the support via the hits, kudos and bookmarks! Another similar fic will come out involving the HP universe and my favourite pairing will be out sometime this week.


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